Animal Biosciences

U of G Maintains Heritage Poultry Breeds on atGuelph

Enjoy the mention of the Poultry Clubs efforts at the Arkell Research Station to breed and maintain heritage poultry lines, in a recent article by atGuelph.

From Animal and Poultry Science, Prof. Gregoy Bédécarrats comments on the precarious breeding structure of today's current poultry industry.

Keeping heritage poultry genetics around could have a global impact if the very few, major breeders experience an epidemic of some sort. If these birds were to be wiped out the heritage birds could come to the rescue of the global poultry industry.

Prof. Bédécarrats is part of a national poultry science cluster that has just received $5.6M in federal and industry based funding for the study of food safety and environmental aspects of the poultry industry. Prof. Tina Widowski is mentioned for her work in poultry welfare at the Arkell station.